Spring Wine Pairing: Refresh Your Palate with Linganore’s Latest Vintages
Out with the old and in with the new – spring wine pairing edition!
Spring is around the corner and that means it will soon be the perfect season to enjoy refreshing and crisp young wines!
Springtime is innately a time for renewal and regrowth. It is a time where we dig out the clutter of our lives and part ways with the things that don’t serve us anymore. It is the time for refreshing our living spaces, our gardens, and saying goodbye to our winter hibernation habits. Spring is also the season where typically, the newest vintage of white wines and rosés become of age and available for sale.
At Linganore Winecellars, our team has worked tenaciously to finalize our white wine blends and are now in the process of bottling them as soon as logistically possible. It is essential to move last year’s wines along to bottle in a timely manner in order to make tank space for the upcoming vintage. Furthermore, bottling the finished wines quickly ensures that we preserve their freshness and of course, also makes them available for you to enjoy as soon as possible.
Are White Wines Only for Spring and Summer?
You may be asking yourself: Are we only supposed to drink white wine in the Spring and Summer and red wine in the Fall and Winter? 
The simple answer is:
No! Of course, always drink the wines you enjoy! There are no rules here. However, light bodied wines such as white wines and rosés, are usually consumed in the warmer weather seasons because they are generally more acidic and less tannic, and therefore more refreshing on a warm sunny day. Also, they are generally intended to be consumed fairly quickly, since their light structure does not allow for much aging potential.
Spring Wine Pairing Recommendations
Some great springtime wines to try this season are:
- Vignoles, Chardonnay, or White Raven, if you enjoy dry white wine.
- Aria is an excellent choice for those semi-sweet drinkers out there.
- Skipjack is a fan favorite for those who enjoy something on the sweeter side.
- We also have Seventh, our dry rosé and a lightly sweetened sparkling rosé called Bella Rosé.
All of these wines have thirst quenching medium to high acid content, fruity aromatics, and consistent flavor from the first sip all the way through the finish. These wines pair well with many springtime dishes like herb or citrus seasoned fish and chicken, grilled spring onions and asparagus, soft cheeses like feta and brie, and my favorite, a garden salad of young lettuces topped with microgreens, zesty orange slices, goat cheese, and a “Champagne” Vinaigrette Dressing, recipe below.
“Champagne” Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
3 parts extra virgin olive oil
1 part sparkling white wine
generous splash of balsamic vinegar
whole grain mustard (to taste)
honey (to taste)
Pairing Wine with Spring Tasks
Just as wine pairs well with food, wine also pairs well with tedious, laborious tasks, and in moderation, it can help us kick procrastination to the curb and get down to business!
A refreshing, flavorful wine can help get those creative juices flowing and inspire us to dream big and see potential. It’s also an especially good motivator, helping us to dig deep and endure the hard work, knowing there’s a reward at the end of the day. But who says you have to wait until you’ve finished cleaning out the garage? Having a cold glass within close reach can make springtime chores less daunting and possibly even enjoyable! Whether those chores are organizing closets, preparing garden beds, or scrubbing nooks and crannies, a glass of wine can be a lovely addition.
When a wine shows aromas of bright citrus or sweet, candy-like strawberries, it can be quite energizing. A wine like that makes you want to get outside in the sunshine, dig in the dirt, and then relax in your lawn chair and admire all that you accomplished. Even if you don’t have the time or energy for a large task, a glass of wine in your hand can be a great addition while just walking around the house thinking about the next home improvement.
Rachel Smith, Assistant Winemaker at Linganore Winecellars
My winemaking journey began in 2017. I was living in Philadelphia and working at a small winery in the Outer Coastal Plains AVA of New Jersey. On that 8 acre vineyard, I participated in every step of the process, from pruning vines to bottling finished wines. Then, in the Summer of 2020, I landed a job with Linganore as the Harvest Intern. So, I moved home to Maryland and planted new roots in Frederick. What I found here was an exciting, lively community, cultivated by knowledgeable and yet, unpretentious professionals. In Fall of 2024, with Linganore’s support, I completed a winemaking certificate program from Cornell University. As any education goes, learning to be a better winemaker is certainly a lifelong venture. In the end, it’s really the camaraderie and mentorship I’ve been so fortunate to receive, making this winemaker’s life all the more fulfilling.
